house. The top of the hills shuts it out. You only see the lake."
"I think I would have climbed a little higher and built where I could have seen the sea."
How many people are content to take up their abode on the lakeview side of the hill, instead of climbing to the summit and getting the vision of the great sea! (Text.)
(2879)
SELF-MASTERY
It is related that an eminent scientist,
with his wife and brother, were sailing one
moonlight evening on Lake Geneva. It became
necessary to climb the mast to adjust
a rope, when the boat capsized, and in a
moment all three were struggling in the
water. The lady, who was an extremely cultivated
woman, coolly called to her companions,
"I will not take hold of you, but
come to me and let me put my hands upon
your shoulders." Which they did, and she
was buoyed up for half an hour until all
were saved. It was her mastery of herself
that made it possible for them to rescue her.—James
T. White, "Character Lessons."
(2880)
Self-mastery Gradual—See Endeavor, Constant.
SELF-MEASUREMENT
The story of the young man in fiction has
traveled all this strange distance. It begins
with the primitive bard, straining his voice
and almost breaking his lyre in order to
utter the greatness of youth and the greatness
of masculinity; it ends with the novelist
looking at both of them with a magnifying-glass;
it begins with a delight in things
above, and ends with a delight in things below
us. I for one have little doubt about
their relative value. For if a man can say,
"I like to find something greater than myself,"
he may be a fool or a madman, but
he has the essential. But if a man says, "I
like to find something smaller than myself,"
there is only one adequate answer, "You
couldn't." (Text.)—G. K. Chesterton, The Critic.
(2881)
Self-possession—See Common Sense; Nerve.
Self-realization—See Myself.
SELF-RELIANCE
Beecher said that once, at school, when he
was demonstrating a problem in geometry,
the master said, "No," in a tone of absolute
conviction, and he sat down in great confusion
and dismay. The next boy was
stopt with the same emphatic "No"; but the
boy went right on, and completed the demonstration.
Beecher said to the master, "I
recited just as he did, and you said 'No.'"
The master replied, "Why didn't you say
'Yes,' and stick to it? It is not enough to
know your lesson, you must know that you
know it." You have learned nothing until
you are sure. If all the world says "No,"
your business is to say "Yes," and persist in
it.—James T. White, "Character Lessons."
(2882)
Imitate the Flathead Indians, and fling the child into the stream and make him swim. If Flathead Indians do this, straight-browed white men should know enough to imitate them. Bring your children up to believe that God cares for them, but that they must be self-reliant, and care for themselves. The fishes' fin fits the water, the birds' wing the air, the eye fits the sunbeam, the ear matches music, the intellect fits the truth and man's equipment for self-support fits the harvests, the fields and the forests.—N. D. Hillis.
(2883)
See Education; Initiative.
SELF-REPRESSION
When Havelock was prosecuting his great
march for the relief of Lucknow, Sir James
Outram was sent out to supersede him. Poor
Havelock, tho filled with bitter disappointment,
was ready to obey; but when Outram
discovered what marvelous feats the unyielding
courage and determination of Havelock
and his brave men had accomplished, he
refused to take the glory which belonged to
another, and insisted upon his brother officer
finishing the work and earning his glory,
while he himself served under him. So by
requiring self-repression, courtesy may become
a positive virtue.—James T. White,
"Character Lessons."
(2884)
See Power in Self-repression.
SELF-RESTRAINT
In the face of a fire peril which would
have stricken an ordinary crowd with panic,
600 convicts recently, at the Western Pen-
